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Regulatory officers of National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), have arrested another illegal chemical marketer as the agency probes deeper into the circumstance leading to the death of some children arising from ingestion of My Pikin teething mixture.
Regulatory officers of National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), have arrested another illegal chemical marketer as the agency probes deeper into the circumstance leading to the death of some children arising from ingestion of My Pikin teething mixture.
A middle-aged man, Mr. Dom Azumuka, who had earlier been on the run at the onset of the My Pikin saga was arrested by NAFDAC after a raid on his shop at Ojota in Lagos.
Seven drums of etheleneglycol falsely labeled as ‘Propyleneglycol' were evacuated from Mr. Azumuka's shop by NAFDAC officials.
Following intense interrogation, the culprit led NAFDAC regulatory officers to another suspected illegal chemical importer, Mr. Marcel Onyegbaram of No. 157, Abimbola Way, Isolo in Lagos where he allegedly bought the seven drums of falsely labeled ‘propyleneglycol'.
Mr. Onyebaram was lucky to have escaped from the shop before NAFDAC officers arrived but his office assistant was, however, apprehended and he is currently helping the agency on the on-going investigation.
Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Dora Akunyili, who was stunned by the false labeling of etheleneglycol as ‘propleneglycol' said all the culprits so far arrested by the agency will face prosecution.
Prof. Akunyili said the agency has donated some antidote for management of renal failure to Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Zaira, University College Hospital, Ibadan, Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) and other teaching hospitals nation-wide as way of redeeming her earlier pledge to import antidote to arrest the situation.
She disclosed that NAFDAC has so far withdrawn from circulation 5,334 bottles of My Pikin teething mixture from circulation.
According to her, a major recovery of 2,247 bottles were made in Kaduna where a sales representative of Barewa Pharmaceutical Limited (manufacturer of My Pikin) was arrested by NAFDAC.
The Director-General reiterated the agency's appeal to the public particularly mothers to stop using My Pikin Teething Mixture and other paracetamol syrup but alternatively resort to use of paracetamol tablets under medical supervision until further notice.